OBIT: John BOYLES, 1882, Blair County, PA

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A BRUTAL MURDER.
John Boyles Stabbed to Death by William Vanzandt.

At an early hour on Wednesday morning a man named John Boyles was
found dead in his bed in the boarding house of Mrs. E. L. Norton,
Logantown, near the lower shops.  There were two knife wounds in his
breast.  William Vanzandt, one of his room-mates, was arrested by
Railroad Policeman Myers and lodged in the lock-up to await the result
of a hearing.

William Vanzandt, who is accused of the murder of a fellow being, is
employed in the freight department of the car shops under Foreman
Andrew Kipple.  He is about 45 years of age, is originally from
Mifflin county and has a wife and four children residing in Wayne
township, that county.  He denies any knowledge of the murder and
tells the following story:

There are two beds in the sleeping apartment occupied by him.  He
slept in one and Boyles and a man named Willis in the other.  He and
Willis were in bed on Tuesday night when Boyles came in very much
under the influence of liquor.  While undressing he said: "I am all
covered with blood."  Seeing his condition and having no desire to
sleep with such a bedfellow Willis left the room and passed the
remainder of the night on the attic.  Vanzandt also went into another
room.  Sometime during the night the mistress of the house asked
Vanzandt to go and see how Boyles was getting along.  He went and
found him leaning over the side of the bed, vomiting.  In the morning
as Vanzandt was going down stairs some one said:  "I believe Boyles is
dead."  The accused, in company with others, went into the room and
discovered Boyles at the foot of the bed in a half-sitting position,
with his chin resting on the foot-board. We have thus given the story
of the accused in order that no injustice may be done him.  We are
sorry to say that the evidence does not corroborate his story.
Coroner Mitchell held an inquest on the body of Boyles Wednesday
forenoon.  The jury was composed of the following gentlemen:  A. C.
Lytle, H. A. Folk, Andrew Kipple, Levi Geesy, J. R. Burley, Daniel
Houseman.  Thomas Willis, the roommate referred to by Vanzandt,
testified that Boyles came into the room between 11 and 12 o'clock
very much under the influence of liquor.  He went over to Vanzandt's
bed and annoyed the latter, who ordered him away.  Boyles didn't go,
when Vanzandt got out of bed and struck him with something - the
witness didn't know what.  Boyles went over to the light and said, "My
God! Vanzandt you have cut me; send for a doctor."  Martin V.
Isenberg, who was summoned by Mr. Willis, said when he went into the
room Boyles was lying on the floor, bleeding freely.  He accused
Vanzandt of having cut him.  The evidence of the land lady and the
boarders was merely corroborative of the above.  Dr. Crossthwaite, who
was summoned, reached the house about 12.20 and made a superficial
examination, concluding that the wounds were not dangerous. An
examination after death showed that this was a mistake. There were two
knife cuts in the breast, one on the right nipple, the other on the
left. The wound on the left side penetrated the heart.
The jury after viewing the body and hearing the evidence returned a
verdict to the effect that death was caused by a wound in the region
of the heart supposed to have been made with a knife in the hands of
William F. Vanzandt.

John Boyles was a native of Huntingdon county and for several years
resided at Spruce Creek.  He was 27 years of age and unmarried.  He
was formerly an engineer but has lately been working at the wheel
press in the lower shops.  As it looks now he was the victim of a very
brutal and cowardly attack.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, June 15, 1882, page 2